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Isn’t it just my luck that my consequences would come back to bite me in the rear on the worst possible day? After puking my guts up for the last three months, I finally got up the nerve to take a pregnancy test. A test that I already knew was going to be positive since all the signs have been there since a couple of weeks after my tryst with my mystery man, but I still hoped for a miracle.

When the tiny plus sign appeared in the pregnancy test window, I went from terrified to incredibly excited within a few seconds, but then I got rear-ended by my consequences. Literally. And those consequences arrived in a tall, dark, and bossy caveman package that I had given up ever seeing again.

“Gray,” the other man calls, and Mr. Caveman turns to him. “Dillon and the ambulance are about three minutes out.” Just what I need. More witnesses to my humiliation.

My mystery man’s name must be Gray, and I already know Dillon is probably Sheriff Dillon Armstrong. This situation just keeps getting better and better. My best friend, Ciara, is married to one of Sheriff Armstrong’s close friends, and I’m betting it won’t take more than a few minutes for everyone to know all about this incident. “I don’t need an ambulance.” I didn’t suffer any harm when his car collided with mine, and I definitely don’t want my mystery man to hear I’m pregnant from the EMTs.

“What’s your name?” he growls, and my head spins at the change of subject.

Before I’m able to answer, his friend snorts. “You don’t even know her name? Wait until the guys hear this.” My mystery man turns and glares at his friend, shutting him up, while I wish for the ground to open up and swallow me.

When the mystery man switches his attention back to me and raises an eyebrow, I square my shoulders and hold out my hand. “Carlie Martin.” When I woke up this morning, I worried about raising my child alone, but fate had other plans in store for me. I hold my breath, waiting for him to introduce himself.

“I think we’re past handshaking.” He smirks and leans over to place a soft kiss on my cheek but doesn’t satisfy my curiosity. “Well past it, Tigress.”

“Are you going to tell me your name? Or do you just want me to call you Mr. Neanderthal? Since we’re into nicknames and all.” It might be a terrible idea, but I can’t resist needling him. Knowing I caused fire to flash in his dark eyes while the vein at the base of his throat furiously pounds sends butterflies fluttering around in my belly.

“Grayson Marrow.” He pulls me against his muscular body and whispers against my ear, “But you can call me Daddy Neanderthal.”

I blink several times, wondering if he somehow knows, but his wink tells me he’s trying to flirt with me. Poor sucker has no idea how close that hit to the truth. His life is about to take a one-eighty. “Ha-ha.” I step away from him and notice the other man watching our exchange intently. He’s just as big and handsome as Grayson Marrow, but he doesn’t make my heart flutter or my lady bits tingle like Mr. Neanderthal does.

Luckily for me, the sheriff and ambulance arrive, interrupting the uncomfortable exchange. Dillon Armstrong walks over and smiles at me. “Carlie, are you out here causing trouble?” He might be joking, but Gray doesn’t find it funny at all.

“She’s the victim here,” he growls and steps between me and the sheriff. “After the accident, she passed out and threw up.” Sheriff Armstrong turns to me with a look of concern as Gray continues his medical assessment. “I want those fuckers to get over here and check her out.”

I roll my eyes as the thick testosterone fog envelops me. “Stop being a pain in the rear.” I glare at Gray before turning to the sheriff. “I don’t need to be checked out.” I make sure my tone of voice conveys how serious I am.

“Yes, you do.” The Neanderthal just won’t give up.

When I turn to blast him, Dillon cuts in. “Since you lost consciousness, we really need to check you out. Why don’t you go sit in the ambulance and let them have a look at you while I get Gray’s version of events.”

As I walk toward the ambulance, I hear Dillon Armstrong mutter, “Man, you have a lot to learn about dealing with the opposite sex. You have to handle them with care and understanding.”

“Fuck off.” Gray doesn’t seem to appreciate his advice.

I breathe a sigh of relief when I step up to the back of the ambulance and see Alan Sanders, a friend of mine from high school, is the paramedic who responded to the crash. “Hey, Carlie. We heard you passed out, so we need to see what’s going on. Hop up here and we’ll check you out.”

“I don’t need to be checked out.” Please, let him take my word for it. “And I didn’t really pass out.” Actually, I did, so I cross my fingers behind my back. But it was shock, not an injury that caused me to faint. “I just got woozy from skipping breakfast.” That’s not really true either. I tried to eat breakfast, but my little peanut had other plans in store for me and I ended up puking the light meal a few minutes after I ate it.

“We still need to make sure you’re not concussed or anything,” he insists and points at the white sheet on the stretcher. “It won’t take long.”

Hoping I can fudge my way through this, I take his hand and let him help me up into the ambulance. While Alan listens to my chest and back, I glance out to see Grayson Marrow staring intently at me. My dumb body reacts to his possessive glare. I take a deep breath, hoping to calm my funny heart rhythm, sweating palms, and increased respiratory rate before they’re evident to the paramedic. I sit back against the scratchy sheet and stare at the ambulance ceiling, fighting to get myself under control. I’m in so much trouble.

My new set of problems occupies my mind while Alan does his thing. This morning, I thought I was going to be raising my child alone. Now, I have to figure out how to tell the grouchy Neanderthal he’s about to become a father.

“I’m worried I’ll burst into flames if Coach Marrow stares at me any harder,” Alan grumbles. “In the hockey rink, that man is a freaking ice cube.” Coach? I’m still wondering what he means by calling Gray, Coach Morrow. “What did you do to make him so hot and bothered?” I’m pretty sure my scarlet cheeks answer the question for me. “Oh.” Alan’s cheeks turn bright red as he laughs. “Lucky girl.”

“Coach?” I pull my thoughts together enough to ask.

“He’s the Silver Spoon Falls Falcons’ head coach.” Fudgemuffin. When I decide to go bad, I go all the way. I picked a public figure that everyone knows.

“Oh.” I smile weakly and let Alan finish his assessment.

While he checks my pulse and oxygen saturation, I check my phone and see several messages from Ciara, my best friend.

Bestie

Are you okay?

Bestie

Hello!

Bestie

Answer me so I know you’re not dead.

Me

Stop being so melodramatic. I’m freaking fine.

Me

How did you hear already?

Bestie

Hello, you’re from this crazy town. You should know better than anyone how the grapevine works.

Me

That’s way fast. Even for the SSF grapevine. I just got into the accident fifteen minutes ago.

Bestie

Jules Armstrong let Adalynn know that you were in an accident with the hockey coach and were going to be late. Then Adalynn called and told me.

How in the world did the sheriff’s wife find out that quick? I glance around Alan and notice the ambulance driver sitting in the front of the vehicle typing away on his phone. Bingo. I found the source. I’m totally not shocked that Jules called Razor’s wife as soon as she heard the news.

Me

It was a minor accident. I’m about to head to work now.

Bestie

Call me when you can. I want all the details about Coach Hottie.

Me

There isn’t anything to tell you about Coach Hottie, and I’m sure the grapevine will give you plenty of info.

Bestie

I’d rather hear my gossip from the source. And I know there’s a freaking lot to tell. Sally said the ambulance driver told Marsha that the air around you guys was crackling with sexual tension. YOU GO, GIRL!

Good God. Nothing is off-limits in this crazy little town. I roll my eyes and send a thumbs up.

“I don’t see anything wrong with you.” I almost collapse with relief that he didn’t find any clues to the real reason for my fainting and puking spell. Then he adds, “But you might want to get in to see your doctor, just to make sure everything is okay.” He glances down at my stomach, telling me he knows what I’m trying to hide.

I look around to see if anyone else heard him before shrugging. “I’ll stop by when I get a chance. Can we keep this all between us?”

“You know I can’t discuss your medical information with anyone.” I know that, but in this small town, the grapevine doesn’t always follow the rules.

The hair on the back of my neck stands up straight, telling me Gray just walked up. Swallowing, I turn to see if he overheard my conversation with Alan and assume he didn’t since he doesn’t appear upset.